Pak indigenous drone tested in live combat with Taliban: media
Published March 27, 2015
SOURCE: PTI

Pakistan’s indigenously-developed armed drone ‘Burraq’ has been tested in live combat against militants in the strategic Tirah Valley region of Khyber tribal district near Afghan border and killed senior commanders of the insurgents, according to a media report.

The area in the volatile northwest tribal region has been the scene of fierce fighting between the Pakistani military and a potpourri of militants for nearly two weeks.

The military now claims to have achieved ‘significant successes ‘in what a report in The Express Tribune says has “turned the tide” against the militants.

Remotely-piloted aircraft ‘Burraq’ and laser-guided missile ‘Burq’ were tested on March 14, but much before the drone was publicly showcased it had been tested in live combat against militants in the Tirah Valley, the yesterday’s report said, quoting officials.

“The officials would not say how many targets have been taken out with the help of ‘Burraq’ but they claimed that senior militant commanders, including those from Mangal Bagh’s Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), were killed in Pakistani drone strikes.

“They have built bunkers in the mountains covered by a wall which initially made it difficult for us to target,” one security official said.

“However, their movements were tracked and their hideouts destroyed with the help of laser-guided missiles,” he added.

On March 18, a gathering of militants was targeted in a border village in Tirah and some reports said that TTP chief Mullah Fazlullah was killed which has not been confirmed so far.

Pakistan Army said over 80 militants were killed and the forces have captured important hilltops.

The Tirah operation turned out to be more difficult as three militant factions including LI, TTP and Jamaatul Ahrar put tough resistance.

Pakistan has so far not said anything officially about use of drone against militants.

Russian Ambassador in Islamabad Alexey Y. Dedov today said that negotiations are underway for the delivery of MI 35 helicopter to Pakistan.

Talking about Pak-Russia defence cooperation, Alexey Dedov said that both the countries have signed different agreements for the military cooperation.

He told Radio Pakistan that as far as military technical cooperation is concerned, negotiations are underway for the delivery of MI 35 helicopter to Pakistan. It has been politically approved. He said as soon as the contract will be signed, MI 35 helicopter will be delivered to Pakistan.

The Russian Ambassador said that Pakistan and Russia are cooperating in different sectors, including energy and defence and other sectors. He said much progress has also been achieved on the gas pipeline project, between the two countries

Lauding the role of Pakistan in the war against terrorism, the Russian Ambassador said that a delegation of Ambassadors based in Islamabad, visited Peshawar to express solidarity with the victims of the Peshawar incident. “During the visit we felt the gravity of the situation. The population of Pakistan is fighting side by side with the armed forces against the terrorists and have scarified a lot in this war,” he said.

To a question about Pak-Afghan relation, the Ambassador said that these relations are moving in a positive direction. He said Russia welcomes Pakistan’s role for peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan. He said the defence cooperation between the two countries have improved that will help eradicate the menace of terrorism from the region.

Talking about the withdrawal of US troops from Afghanistan, Alexey Dedov said that the international community should not abandon Afghanistan, till the achievements of the targets. He said the troops should be withdrawn after the settlement of the problem. He said Russia has supported Pakistan’s efforts for peaceful solution of the Yemen issue through political and diplomatic means.

The Ambassador said that it is the responsibility of the international community to play its role for the peaceful solution of the Yemen issue. He said efforts should be made to engage the stakeholders in meaningful dialogue.

WASHINGTON - The US State Department has okayed Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles as part of around one billion dollars deal.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a country vital to US foreign policy and national security goals in South Asia, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday. The helicopters and weapon systems will provide Pakistan with military capabilities in support of its counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations in South Asia, the defence agency noted. This proposed sale will provide Pakistan with a precision strike, enhanced survivability aircraft that it can operate at high-altitudes. By acquiring this capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments. Pakistan will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.

Also included are system integration and testing, software development and integration, aircraft ferry, support equipment, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated cost is $952 million. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron in Fort Worth, Texas; General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts; The Boeing Company in Huntsville, Alabama; and Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Maryland.

Meanwhile, in a reference Islamabad’s close ties with major powers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the US defence companies are engaged in a three-way tussle with Russia and China to sell weapons to Pakistan, complicated by the need to avoid upsetting neighbor India and its even larger arms’ import market.

The US State Department has okayed Foreign Military Sale to Pakistan for AH-1Z Viper Attack Helicopters and AGM-114R Hellfire II Missiles as part of around one billion dollars deal.

This proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of a country vital to US foreign policy and national security goals in South Asia, the Defence Security Cooperation Agency said on Monday.

The helicopters and weapon systems will provide Pakistan with military capabilities in support of its counterterrorism and counter-insurgency operations in South Asia, the defence agency noted. This proposed sale will provide Pakistan with a precision strike, enhanced survivability aircraft that it can operate at high-altitudes. By acquiring this capability, Pakistan will enhance its ability to conduct operations in North Waziristan Agency (NWA), the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and other remote and mountainous areas in all-weather, day-and-night environments. Pakistan will have no difficulty absorbing these helicopters into its armed forces.

Also included are system integration and testing, software development and integration, aircraft ferry, support equipment, spare and repair parts, tools and test equipment, publications and technical documentation, personnel training and training equipment, US government and contractor engineering, technical, and logistics support services, and other related elements of logistics and program support. The total estimated cost is $952 million. The proposed sale of this equipment and support will not alter the basic military balance in the region. The principal contractors will be Bell Helicopter, Textron in Fort Worth, Texas; General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts; The Boeing Company in Huntsville, Alabama; and Lockheed Martin in Bethesda, Maryland.

Meanwhile, in a reference Islamabad’s close ties with major powers, The Wall Street Journal reported on Monday that the US defence companies are engaged in a three-way tussle with Russia and China to sell weapons to Pakistan, complicated by the need to avoid upsetting neighbor India and its even larger arms’ import market.

Call them & tell them that you will either get Apache/Chinook deal from India or this $1 billion deal from Pakistan.(for which they don't have money)

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You are grossly overestimating your say in US policy. They are a superpower, they care less what India has to say. You NEED Apaches and they are the only ones who can sell them. BTW we are getting 1000 Hellfire - II ATGMs, ask your armor to buck up

AH-1Z Viper as top tier attack helicopter
Z-10 to replace Cobras and to add strength in numbers. Up to 70 are expected to be built in Pakistan.
AH-1S will be upgraded with FLAIR and continue to supplement the above two.
Mi-35E for Special Forces
Fenecs for light attack

1000 Hellfire IIs and similar numbers of HJ-10s for Z-10 helicopters while AH-1S to be upgraded with Zumr-1 FLAIR and Burq ATGMs.

You are grossly overestimating your say in US policy. They are a superpower, they care less what India has to say. You NEED Apaches and they are the only ones who can sell them. BTW we are getting 1000 Hellfire - II ATGMs, ask your armor to buck up